Leprosy among schoolchildren in the Amazon region: A cross-sectional study of active search and possible source of infection by contact tracing.

Background: The high rate of leprosy cases among children under 15 years of age in Brazil indicates ongoing transmission within the community. The identification of the new leprosy cases among contacts can help identify the source of infection and interrupt the transmission chain. This study aims to determine the detection rate of previously undiagnosed cases of leprosy among schoolchildren who are under 15 years of age living in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, and their possible source of infection by contact tracing.

Effectiveness of syndromic management for male patients with urethral discharge symptoms in Amazonas, Brazil.

Background: Urethral discharge syndrome (UDS) is characterized by the presence of purulent or mucopurulent urethral discharge.The main etiological agents of this syndrome are Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of the syndromic management to resolve symptoms in male urethral discharge syndrome cases in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.

Current Condition of Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Cuban Adults.

Background: The reduction of the incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Cuba can be attributed to the effectiveness of the national immunization program. However, the number of patients with chronic HBV observed in clinical practice is not negligible.

Objective: A cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the main clinical characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

HIV and syphilis in the context of community vulnerability among indigenous people in the Brazilian Amazon.

Background: Contextual factors shape the risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis. We estimated the prevalence of both infections among indigenous people in nine indigenous health districts of the Brazilian Amazon and examined the context of community vulnerability to acquiring these infections.

Methods: We trained 509 health care workers to screen sexually active populations in the community for syphilis and HIV using rapid testing (RT).

Home-based counseling and testing for HIV and syphilis - an evaluation of acceptability and quality control, in remote Amazonas State, Brazil.

Objective: Home-based, voluntary counselling and testing (HBCT) can help scale up early diagnosis. We aimed to evaluate the acceptance of HBCT for HIV and syphilis, estimate the prevalence among home-tested individuals and assess the performance of point-of-care testing by health staff using dried tube specimens (DTS) in a remote municipality of the Amazon region.

Methods: Community health teams conducted door-to-door outreach in the urban area of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas.

External quality assurance with dried tube specimens (DTS) for point-of-care syphilis and HIV tests: experience in an indigenous populations screening programme in the Brazilian Amazon.

Objectives: The availability of point-of-care (POC) tests for infectious diseases has revolutionised the provision of healthcare for remote rural populations without access to laboratories. However, quality assurance for POC tests has been largely overlooked. We have evaluated the use and stability of dry tube specimens (DTS) for External Quality Assurance (EQA) for HIV and syphilis screening in remote indigenous populations in the Amazon region of Brazil.

Etiology of genital ulcer disease in a sexually transmitted infection reference center in Manaus, Brazilian Amazon.

Objectives: To determine the etiology and factors associated with genital ulcer disease (GUD) among patients presenting to a sexually transmitted infections clinic in Manaus, Brazil; and to compare a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR) assay for the diagnosis of GUD with standard methods.

Methods: Ulcer swabs were collected and used for Tzanck test and processed in an M-PCR to detect herpes simplex virus (HSV-1/2), Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum), and Haemophilus ducreyi (H.

Endoscopic findings and associated risk factors in primary health care settings in Havana, Cuba.

INTRODUCTION Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, traditionally performed in Cuba in specialized hospitals, was decentralized to the primary health care level in 2004 to make it more patient-accessible. OBJECTIVES Describe frequency and distribution of the principal symptomatic diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract and their relation to the main risk factors associated with each in a sample of urban adults who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in primary care facilities in Havana in selected months of 2007. METHODS A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted, including 3556 patients seen in the primary health care network of Havana from May through November 2007.

HIV and sexually transmitted infections at the borderlands: situational analysis of sexual health in the Brazilian Amazon.

Objectives: The borderlands are considered areas of increased vulnerability to HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI). The study aimed to determine the STI/HIV prevalence and risk factors in the triple-border area of the Brazilian Amazon.

Methods: A situational analysis of sexual health was conducted in three cities of the Alto Solimões region.